Album Review :
Jeremy Horn - Sound of the Broken

Artist: Jeremy Horn
Title: Sound of the Broken
Label: Fair Trade Services
Release Date: 3/6/12
Reviewer: Jonathan Andre

Tracklisting:

1. Sound of the Broken
2. Now is the Time
3. Only God Who Saves
4. Sons and Daughters
5. Surrender
6. Emptied
7. Where You Are
8. Faithful
9. Father of Lights
10. This Reflection

Reminding me of worship leader Lincoln Brewster, Jeremy Horn’s distinctive country-worship flavour runs through all 10 tracks of Sound of the Broken. With similar music style to other country singer-songwriters Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood, Jeremy’s passion for worship music is evident as he reminds his listeners that ‘…worship can be the outpouring of our hearts in singing and proclaiming who God is to ourselves and to others. It’s making Jesus bigger on Earth and in our lives…’ From the stirring ‘Surrender’ urging us to give everything we have to Christ, to the declaratory ‘Only God Who Saves’ and ‘Father of Lights’, both proclaiming God’s unfathomable authority and power; Jeremy has created a record that, even though at times could seem ‘too country’ for the casual listener, shows his heart and enthusiasm for Christ. Filled with a diverse musical array of genres, Jeremy has been able to weave together 10 tracks of hope and worship as listeners understand that Christ is our Father and that ‘…every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Lights…’ (‘Father of Lights’).

The first radio single off the album, ‘Surrender’ runs in at just over 2 and a half minutes, and as Jeremy places in his ‘Dan Haseltine-meets-Lincoln Brewster’ hat, we are met with a cheerful melody about how ‘…there is something beautiful about surrender, there is something beautiful about release, to free your heart, lift your hands…’ Filled with a colourful musical array of banjos, guitars and a strong country-esque vocal, Jeremy relays to us something that we all need to hear, that there’s nothing wrong with surrendering and admitting that we cannot do everything in our own strength. Though short at 2:40, Jeremy has created a melody full of a myriad of truths about laying everything at God’s feet and letting him take control of our lives. Well done Jeremy for such a hopeful melody!

‘Father of Lights’, ‘Faithful’, ‘Sound of the Broken’ and ‘Only God Who Saves’ are all standout highlights from an artist who has a great knack at mixing together worship with a country flavour and make it just as appealing to country fans and country music haters alike! Filled with a southern gospel flavour, ‘Faithful’ acknowledges how Christ has always stayed beside us even in the darkest nights, and that as we turn the ‘pages’ of our lives, we will ‘…remember Your faithfulness to me, the times when my heart was burning, the times when You carried me…’ Through strong guitars and a looping drum kicks; Jeremy gives us a timely melody of God’s faithfulness to us! ‘Father of Lights’ also shows us the quality of Christ and how He is the answer to everything we have been searching for. Full of echoing vocals and reverb, Jeremy has given us his most passionate song on the album as he reminds us that ‘…in the times of confusion and darkness, reveal Yourself when we’re desperate and guarded, Father of lights…’, showing listeners that He is our light, and all darkness will just be nothing in the sight of our King. ‘Sound of the Broken’ is the first song on the record, showing us that though we are Christians, we are still broken and messed up, because of the fallen world we live in. We have sinned, and will continue to sin, but even so, God still loves ‘…the sound of the broken rising to Your throne…’ Full of strong drums and plenty of guitars, ‘Sound of the Broken’ is one of my favourites from the album. ‘Only God Who Saves’ is a simple melody about how Christ saves us again and again, and how ‘…You are a God who saves me from my sin, You are the only God who saves…’ Full of light electrics as we are reminded of God’s ultimate power and awesomeness, this 3 minute tune gives us hope that our God is far bigger than other gods.

From letting the listeners know that Christ is the ‘…Father to the orphan, You are Sustainer of the poor, Lord You give good gifts to Your children…’ amidst electric guitar effects (‘Sons and Daughters’), and acknowledging that whatever we have, though it may not be much, is God’s anyway, and that as He gives us everything we need, we freely give what we have back to Him out of love and adoration (‘Emptied’) to giving total control over to Christ as we ask Him to ‘…take me where You are…’ so that we can gain perspective from how He views our lives (‘Where You Are’), Jeremy has been able to weave through musical moments and honest melodies as he speaks to the hearts of individuals on heart-transforming journeys as we live our days with Christ’s direction and clarity imprinted on our hearts. The final song, ‘This Reflection’ is a reminder of our identity in Christ, and with lyrics like ‘…this reflection surrounds you, bringing you down to your knees, it’s the moment of truth when you finally embrace what you see…’, we are met with a realisation that our reflection is Christ within us as we live our godly lives for Him and His glory. Filled with a multitude of acoustics and keyboard driven sounds, ‘This Reflection’ is one of Jeremy’s best!

Overall: This album, though under-publicised, is one of the highlights for March, especially for someone who loves uplifting worship music. Filled with musical arrays with a country flavour, Sound of the Broken calls us to lift up our praises to Christ, even if they are ‘broken’, with God accepting them anyway and realising them as already beautiful. Filled with heartfelt moments that show us that longer lengths doesn’t necessarily equal better quality, Jeremy has shown us a 10 song collection of his heart, and as listeners hear a part of his worshipful heart, we gain an understanding of how much Christ has impacted on Jeremy’s life. Well done Jeremy for such an uplifting and inspirational album!

RIYL: Lincoln Brewster, Paul Baloche, Jars of Clay, Todd Agnew

Buy the Album: iTunes/Amazon mp3